The 74th Annual Hunger Games
by Zulera301
Summary: Every revolution begins with a spark… but without that tiny spark, even the greatest conflagration may never come to be. One simple decision… One small, simple decision changed everything. The impact Katniss Everdeen had in the 74th Annual Hunger Games was enormous, both in the games themselves and for the future of Panem… so what would have happened if Katniss had not volunteered?
1. Chapter 1: The 74th Hunger Games

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** _Welcome to the 74th Annual Hunger Games! Those who have read my other fanfics will know that they are set in an alternate universe, where Katniss did not volunteer for Prim at the reapings. This story intends to relay a more detailed account of what went down that year. Thus, we will see several familiar faces throughout this story, some of which were given surnames at my own creative liberty, since I could not find a consensual/reliable source that gave me information on their actual surnames. Other than that, watch as Zulera301 tries to accurately imitate the characters we all know and love._  
_On a similar note, this is not the sequel (or a prequel, per se) to my existing fanfic series. Those are still sticking to the schedule that I had promised before, and will thus be posted at the appropriate times. This one will be updated at random times/whenever I feel like it, since I'll be juggling it and a couple of other projects in the meantime. I might ask questions at the bottom of each chapter ("Afterthoughts"), but feel free to be honest. I don't want to be praised if I'm not doing a good job.  
Happy Reading!  
_

**PART I: THE TRIBUTES**

**CHAPTER 1: The 74th Hunger Games**

For the 74th time in Panem's history, the Capitol and the twelve districts of Panem celebrated what was colloquially known as "Reaping Day". Perhaps 'celebrate' might have been too strong of a word in some cases. For 23 boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18, this was essentially a condemnation to death. For districts like 1 and 2, where there were around a dozen victors, the levels of confidence exuded were much higher than in the likes of Districts like 12, 9, or 10, which only had 2 (District 12) or 3 ('9 and '10) victors in these last 73 years. Other districts that fared somewhat better, such as '5 or '11 (both of which had 6 victors thus far) did not share the same enthusiasm of sending their kids to their deaths the way District 1 and District 2 did. But, there was a reason that they were called 'Career Districts". They trained boys and girls for the Hunger Games, essentially making it their careers. While the ethics behind this practice were debatable, even the Capitol turned a blind eye to it; rather enjoying that there were enthusiastic tributes that would keep the games interesting. In almost any of the other districts, volunteering was considered suicide, and thus was very rare in some cases, and virtually nonexistent in others.

Thus it was, when 18-year-old Thresh Dakara and 12-year-old Rue Keniye were picked as District 11's tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games, there was a somber silence that hung over the crowd which was almost enough to create awkward tension. Instead of applauding the way the escorts all customarily requested (this was more protocol rather than anything though; for none in Districts 6-12 would ever cheer the death of their own), many people raised their hands in a 3-fingered salute. It had originated in District 12, but over the last few years, some closeness between tributes from '11 and '12 had allowed the sign to be shared between the two more freely. There was a moment of resounding silence once again as the two tributes were escorted inside the Justice Building. Thresh and Rue were acquainted with each other, both of them working different parts of the fields and orchards around the district, but neither one was very talkative: Rue mostly just sang or whistled, while Thresh was the type to state or answer things in as few word as possible.

Rue Keniye was not the only 12-year-old with unfortunate luck, however. A district away in the square of District 12, Primrose Everdeen was called to the stage. Her elder sister protested, having just had a reassuring conversation about how unlikely it was that she would get picked, but of course, Reaping Day was the one day out of the year where the District 12 Peacekeepers took their job seriously, and so the rogue Katniss Everdeen was swiftly silenced, where she fell back into line, subdued and upset.

The boy that year was a strapping young man by the name of Peeta Mellark. Similar to in District 11, there was silence after the names were recited, and most of the crowd raised their hands in a somber salute. Katniss was one of the few who didn't, as she was battling the racking pain in her head from the Peacekeeper's strike to her temple. She was having enough trouble standing up as it was, although the reality of what had happened was also hurting in more ways than one: Her sister was almost certainly going to die.

Across the country in District 1, virtually the opposite was the case. Instead of people fearing their name would get picked, there were dozens of boys and girls lined up raring to volunteer. There were so many of them that it was basically a scramble for the stage where the potential tributes brawled their way to the front. There were no real rules about this, but few ever spent much time trying to beat someone down, as that was precious time that they could be scrambling for the stage instead. This year's picks were a lanky boy named Marvel and a slender, attractive lady named Glimmer. While both of them almost seemed a bit airheaded like their escort (being an airhead was part of an escort's job description though), they clearly had some ability to back themselves up considering that they had outdone the other boys and girls of District 1.

District 2 was almost identical to District 1 except perhaps a bit more vicious. From the stage, their bubbly escort Athena was mustering the tributes together in preparation for the race to the stage. The boys and girls were beginning to split up into their respective groups, but that didn't stop a few from passing a few words to each other before the split.

"If you don't win this year, Cato, I'm going to have no choice but to mock you," a smaller girl teased. "It's your last year, so it's now or never."

"There'll be more than a few black eyes by the time I reach that stage," Cato insisted, "and what about you, Clove? Are you in it to win it?"

"If I wasn't," the girl named Clove retorted, "I wouldn't be here." Before she could say much more, the two of them parted ways, although exchanged glances as Clove and the other girls got into position.

The scramble to the stage was about as chaotic as one might assume, with brawls breaking out between some of Panem's strongest children as they raced and battled to become this year's tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. After a few moments of zigzagging through other girls and striking a few others with alarming precision, Clove flipped up onto the stage and was named the female tribute. She got an approving nod from Elroy and Enobaria, the current pair of mentors for District 2 that year. Technically only one victor was required to mentor tributes, although many from District 2 took pride in having a 2nd victor there to bolster their egos.

Clove's eyes returned to the group of boys who were now preparing to fight to the stage. Many of them were fairly gigantic, and so singling out Cato was not very easy at first. However, it was clear which one was vicious enough to be Cato once they were in action. He was pushing and shoving and punching his way past the others, before clambering up to the stage, raising his arms triumphantly and giving a battle yell as if to proclaim his victory.

Athena did not seem to mind any of this, and so once Cato and Clove were perched atop the stage, she made the announcement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Our tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games: Cato Salazar and Clove Kazera!"

In this district there actually was some cheering and chanting. There was a lot of district pride here in '2, and Clove and Cato egged it on by shouting and throwing their hands into the air.

Even in these districts though, the tributes were allowed to say their final goodbyes, and so they had about 5 or 10 minutes inside the District 2 Justice Building where their parents and siblings would show up (if they wished to) to bid their son, daughter, brother, or sister goodbye. Only two individuals showed up—Cato's mother and father. Clove's parents were alive, but had not chosen to show up. Watching the reaping was mandatory by Capitol Law, but that was what television was for unless you were between the ages of 12 and 18.

Clove flipped a coin between her fingers as she idled her time while she overheard Cato say his goodbyes. It didn't bother her, per se, that her parents were not even interested in their own daughter to see her realize what was surely her finest achievement, but… okay, maybe it irked her just a little. Cato's parents seemed so affectionate and proud of their young man who was going to bring them and their district honor and glory, and perhaps even fame. Cato Salazar was certainly a valid threat, and would surely have very high odds. Clove sighed softly, making it sound like she was simply disinterested, and waited for the Peacekeepers to escort them to the trains.

Unlike in other districts, the Peacekeepers were fairly friendly about informing the tributes their time was up, knowing that volunteer tributes were not about to try and make a break for it or cause a scene or anything, and unsurprisingly, Cato and Clove both went with them without any incident.

They were joined by Athena when they boarded the train, her excited rambling going over their heads as they sat down, still looking a bit roughed up from the brawling they had done on the way to the District Stage. Despite their significant difference in height, both of them were smirking contentedly as they silently got comfortable and the train pulled out of the District 2 station. Cato Salazar and Clove Kazera knew full well what they were getting into, and had no regrets. They had been training their whole lives for this moment, and now it was time to prove their worth, as they entered the 74th Annual Hunger Games in a dangerously high-risk, high-return endeavor for honor and courage, where winning meant fame and fortune; while losing…

…losing meant certain death.

* * *

**AFTERTHOUGHTS:**

_1-While we will still see plenty of coverage of the other major tributes, the story's primary focus is primarily on Cato and Clove. Any particular thoughts on them so far?_  
_2-Katniss is in fact absent from most of the remainder of this story. Would people like to see her POV at some point during the games as she watches the 74th Hunger Games back in District 12?_  
_3-There is clearly something on Clove's mind as she's biding time in the Justice Building. Any thoughts on what it might be?_  
_4-Any particular elements of this chapter that stood out? That you liked or didn't like? Honesty is the best policy.  
5-Should I even have this "Afterthoughts" section at all?  
_


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting the Tributes

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** _This story might move slightly faster than my other ones since I do not have to spend as much time introducing characters that we are all familiar with. They will still see plenty of screen-time before the games as I show off what they do without the iconic "Girl on Fire" in their ranks, and we get to see a bit deeper into their behaviors rather than only focus on District 12. Some of my primary focuses intend to be the relationships between district partners, such as how Cato and Clove work well off of each other, or how Thresh and Rue get along so well even though they have literally not spoken a single word at all since the reaping. Just some things to think about. Happy reading!_

**CHAPTER 2: Meeting the Tributes**

Each of the twelve trains that were en route to the Capitol carrying tributes to their almost certain doom almost all had characters reacting in different ways. The quirky and quiet District 5 pair was lost in their own thoughts, musing and mentally strategizing about what they would do when they were tossed into the arena. The pair from District 1 were enthusiastically chatting it up with their bright-eyed and bushy-tailed escort who was probably even more excited about it than they were.

The District 12 pair were both particularly somber about the experience given their miserable track record. That, and those who knew Primrose knew she was no fighter. At best she was a healer, which meant she could save herself from dying excruciatingly painful, at best. The boy, Peeta, had slightly more of a chance considering that he possessed decent raw strength, although his attitude towards the games might cost him—or rather, what he promised to do.

"I know that only one of us can come out of this thing alive" he told her, "but I'm going to protect you to my dying breath."

"That's… thanks… I guess." Prim sighed, resting her head against the table and her arms, almost as if she had accepted that she would probably die a messy and horrible death.  
Thus, Peeta's remark was not much of a comforting gesture for the small girl who was almost certain that she was going to die, but it was better than the alternative of saying nothing at all. If nothing else, Peeta felt morally obligated to protect this girl. Her sister, after all, had been a woman whom Peeta had had his eyes on for years… except now it was too late to tell her personally. If they managed to defy all odds and bring home a District 12 victor… he would try to make sure it was her. If not… he would try to bring himself home, for similarly obvious reasons.

It took him a while to finally wake up their mentor Haymitch, a lone, drunken man who had won the games nearly some 25 years ago, but he was fairly straightforward about what he wanted. He wanted to free the man from the long, dreary cycle of mentoring that he had been stuck in for more than two decades. That was what he would get out of the situation. Peeta on the other hand, would come out with his life, or would come out of it ensuring that Prim had survived.

The pair from District 2 were already strategizing with each other, talking something about synergy, and how they were going to dominate the field.

"Your strength and my speed," Clove twirled a butterknife in her hands as if it was a real throwing knife, "one of us is going home. Any guesses on who?"  
"I'm rooting for myself obviously," Cato laughed, "But you'd be a decent enough 2nd."

"Oh, I definitely hope that you and I are the final two." Clove smirked, "but come now. I'm totally going to win this thing."

"Don't push your luck with me," Cato warned, although the attitude and atmosphere of the situation showed that this was, for the most part, in good fun. Elroy and Enobaria, who sat nearby and watched the spectacle as they ate (and drank), found it mildly amusing.

"See," Elroy spoke up as he watched Cato and Clove playfully bicker among themselves on who would kick whose ass at the end of the games, "What a lot of the others don't realize is that this is totally nothing personal. It's just business."  
"Good business," Enobaria corrected him, "this is not about personal grudges or any other sort of dickery. This is about winning it for the district. Friends come and go, and District 2 understands that. Killing is fine and dandy and all, but shit, it wasn't like I ripped that kid's throat out with my teeth because I wanted to—I did it because it seemed practical at the time."  
"Well look where it got you," Elroy quipped, elbowing her. "The 62nd Victor's throne."

"That's why I've got no regrets. If Cato and Clove end up having to kill each other to secure the 74th Victor's Crown, that's fine by me. It's just good business."

Perhaps this was the common misunderstanding of the career tributes. They were passionate and deadly, for sure, but most of them didn't volunteer so they could kill kids; most of them volunteered so that they could bring themselves and their families the fame and glory associated with winning. Even the mighty Cato and the vicious Clove that had won that honor this year, were not so interested in finding new ways to kill people (like some sadistic tributes were some years); they just wanted to carve their way to victory by any means necessary.

And then there was also District 11. When they had said their goodbyes to their families, they had both spoken somberly and minimally. Now that they were on the train, it was as if they had sewed their lips shut given the silence that resounded in the air.

Rue drummed her fingers on the table as she sat across from Thresh, her cheek in her other hand and her elbow on the table. Thresh responded by drumming his fingers. Rue repeated the action, and Thresh did as well a second later. After a few moments she began drumming faster, and Thresh kept up, getting faster and faster until they both emitted a chuckle. It was strangely ironic that the two seemed to be fostering a relationship with each other without even saying a word. Perhaps it was a profound understanding that one or both of them would end up dying, or maybe they did not want to get too close for other reasons, but it did seem like the two of them were going to remain on friendly enough terms with each other. When their mentor had offered to show them the reaping footage, they both simply nodded. He didn't seem to mind their silence, and so he put on the footage for them. They both seemed to be mentally evaluating their odds, sometimes exchanging glances with each other on who they might try to target first or who to avoid.

District 11 was quiet and clever. Years of being surrounded by some of the most brutal and oppressive Peacekeepers in Panem had helped silence them verbally, although they knew other ways to communicate. Despite starvation (an ironic fate given that they were literally surrounded by tons of food that they themselves produced), they knew plenty of clever tricks, and were a notably resilient bunch. Despite what its poverty might have suggested, District 11 usually fared decently in the games.

Whatever the case though, all dozen of these trains were heading in the same direction: The Capitol. That was where the pre-games ceremonies would take place, and that was where the tributes would make their first impressions. Even as they travelled, the various escorts were planning on how to present the tributes to the stylists that they would each meet, and thus it was a matter of presentation. Besides… there was a short walk from the train station to the Tribute Tower, and so the tributes also needed a way to briefly present themselves at this point. Marvel and Glimmer from District 1 had already decided on a more visually appealing approach; while their career counterparts over in District 2 were going to show off as powerful warriors. Districts 5 and 6 had both decided to take a more mysterious approach, while over in District 3 the tributes were going to portray themselves as rather clever. Thresh and Rue from District 11 had (unsurprisingly wordlessly) agreed on going for an appropriately silent and collected impression, which was a vibe that they had already mastered, it seemed. Even District 12 had come up with a presentation strategy involving courage (admittedly mostly form Peeta's end) and steadfastness.

Needless to say, the Capitol was practically in a frenzy with excitement as the trains began pulling in. Enthusiastic crowds clamored to see their new tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Even the District 12 pair got cheers and chants going their way. Before the Capitol could properly know its tributes, most of them expressed excitement at seeing them for the first (and potentially last) time.

Cato and Clove found themselves sharing an elevator with a dark-skinned pair that were similar to them—District 11. The boy was a large, muscular fellow, while the girl appeared tiny and agile. They were not together very long before Cato and Clove's 2nd-floor stop came up, where they exited the elevator without incident.

"Think they've got anything on us," Cato chuckled as he sat down in a comfortable seat as Clove joined him. "Or do you give them 38 seconds in the bloodbath?"  
"They've got nothing on us," Clove smirked in agreement, "District 11 might survive the bloodbath, but then that just means it'll be the thrill of the hunt once we track them down. The others though? Like Districts 12, '9, and '10? Totally fodder. We'll be scoring plenty of kills in the opening minutes."

* * *

**AFTERTHOUGHTS:**

_1-Enter Enobaria, victor of the 62nd Hunger Games. I imagine her as someone who is ruthless, but that doesn't necessarily revel in death and blood, but rather sees it as a means to an end. Any thoughts on her or Elroy?_  
_2-Thresh and Rue are particularly clever, even if they haven't uttered a single word. Any thoughts on their lack of dialogue thus far?_  
_3-__Obviously Primrose and Peeta are not about to die in the opening seconds, but they're going to have to play a good game if they want to crawl out of that frenzy alive. What do you think of them?  
_


	3. Chapter 3: Steel and Fire

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_ Just because Katniss is absent does not necessarily mean that the chariot costume designs were abandoned. Primrose might not be "The Girl on Fire", but at the same time, she's not about to be doomed to die the nameless death of bloodbath fodder. Peeta's got her back._  
_In other news, we've got Thresh and Rue who are taking a completely different and more tactical approach this year. The careers aren't about to just bulldoze their way to the top or anything... not that easily at least. Happy reading!  
_

**CHAPTER 3: Steel and Fire**

Cato, Clove, and all of the others were simply biding their time until the evening, where they would all be dressed up in fancy and flashy costumes in order to show themselves off to the Capitol. Perhaps this was another lesson about how the teams were just that—teams. Tributes relied on their escort to line up sponsor gifts; their mentor to teach them tips and tricks, as well as when to receive sponsor gifts; and the stylists to make them give a good impression to the Capitol audiences, both during the chariot parade and during the interviews that would happen with Caesar Flickerman at the end of the 7th and final day of training.

Other than perhaps the notion of allying with District 1, the most commonly spoken about tributes on the 2nd floor were that District 11 pair. Most tributes would say something to the careers, or would shy away from them whenever they crossed paths, even if it was as simple a place as an elevator.

And yet, Thresh Dakara and Rue Keniye had not stood down, nor had they even opened their mouths. Cato mentioned that he had heard that there was a pair of stylists who were like that—perfectly able to speak, and yet simply choosing not to, but Clove dismissed that as well.

"It doesn't matter if they don't talk," she reminded him, "they'll be dead soon." Of course, this stroking of Cato's ego helped the boy's thoughts wander elsewhere, while Clove instead focused more on it, unbeknownst to Cato.

What if they were actually a threat though? As easy as it might be to pick off a dozen or so really weak tributes during the opening minutes, the ones that survived that were usually either clever, lucky, or both. If that massive boy decided to defend that smaller girl, they could potentially be a deadly team.

Clove's thoughts wandered again, as they often did when she wasn't doing anything. She thought of back home, and of her family. Okay, so perhaps it more than irked her that they had not come to see her finest achievement. She had volunteered for the Hunger Games! She was in the Capitol now, basking in the glory of their benevolent hosts. Soon, she'd be in the arena fighting to the death to win glory for herself, her family, and her district! How could they not be proud of her for that?

It was certainly not that they were ashamed or anything; they had just seemed disinterested. Sure they were hard on her in the past, but this… this should have made everything better.

Cato actually noticed it, no less. Clove did not expect much sympathy from him though.

"You look like you're off in dreamland," he quipped, "you're not scared of District 11, are you?"

"Of course not" Clove shook her head, "Just thinking about something back home. I'm going to see it in a few weeks, you know."  
Cato smirked. There was the usual arrogant Clove that he knew and loved (so to speak).

"That's only if you can get through me," he smirked, "Not an easy task."

"I bet I can still off more tributes than you," she challenged.

"Oh, you're so on!" Cato shook her hand almost enthusiastically. "May the odds be ever in your favor—you're going to need it!"  
This playful bantering and bickering continued for a while until Athena returned with a pair of stylists in tow. This of course prompted Clove and Cato to follow them to the studios, where they and the others would be cleaned up one final time before getting dressed and adorned in fancy outfits of some sort. Naturally, cleaner-cut and more hygienic tributes like the kids from District 1 and District 2 did not take nearly as long as the rougher and (arguably) somewhat feral kids from the likes of 10, 11, or 12.

Cato and Clove got along well with their stylists, who were soon adorning the two of them in bronze-colored gladiator-styled outfits, with stylized battle armor and winged helmets. The outfits were somewhat revealing, for they did want to show off Cato's muscular physique, but also Clove's lithe and slender form. After all, they were set to be some of the Capitol's favorites this year, or so they were told. This kind of ego-stroking meant that neither one of them was upset with this notion.

If there was another (of surely many) things to say about the Capitol, it was that they had some impeccable timing. It would also have explained why the trains from all 12 districts arrived in the Capitol within minutes of each other, and perhaps also why the tributes were done being operated on and dressed up all around the same time as well.

Clove did hear a delighted squeal a room over or something, and after emerging from the studios herself, noticed that Marvel and Glimmer, that slightly ditzy but otherwise fairly attractive District 1 pair were decked out in rainbow-colored glittery outfits—probably a representation of gems or something.

"Was that you in there?" Clove turned to the taller, blond-haired girl and stuck her thumb out in the direction of the studio where she had heard that delighted squeal.

"It was," Glimmer admitted with a grin.

"It seems fitting," Cato nodded his approval of the girl's outfit as well, although seconds later, exchanged glances with Clove that indicated he was thinking the same thing she was—Glimmer and Marvel had nothing on them.

One of the most notable subjects that would circulate around the Capitol and the stylist community this year though, was the synergy between the District 11 team. Their stylists, a pair named Zakuya and Misaha, were new this year, and thus had been given one of the outer districts to work with. What made them significant to Thresh and Rue was that they were about as talkative as the tribute pair—which meant they hardly spoke at all.

Perhaps the most intriguing part about it was that it did not stop communication, and so they were cleaned and outfitted without a hitch. They appeared shortly after the District 12 pair, who were clad in form-fitting black attire, which most people dismissed as simple and ineffective as usual.

For a moment, Thresh and Rue both glanced towards Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, and Clove, none of which knew what to make of their expressions. A sparkle of interest seemed to flash before their eyes, though their lips remained closed the entire time as if they were silently sizing up their competition. Glimmer smiled and waved coyly at them—a gesture which they did not return. In fact, the only actual movement from them at the moment was the flow of the blue and green fabric that comprised their outfits.

The tributes began to converge where the chariots would line up before showing themselves off to the Capitol audience as they were paraded down the square. There were hushed whispers among many of them as they heard some of the opening fanfares and boarded their chariots. It was only a matter of minutes before Marvel and Glimmer would start off the show, with Cato and Clove in tow, as well as District 3, then '4, all the way down to Peeta Mellark and Primrose Everdeen in District 12.

There was never any booing or negative remarks from the Capitol crowds upon seeing their tributes, but instead, the voiced it with silence. However, there was anything but silence as the career chariots made their debuts. Clove and Cato raised their arms into the air, shouting triumphantly, as if to pump up the crowds. They were certainly just as big of hits as they had expected themselves to be.

However, the thrills of the parade didn't end there. Even the districts in between were fairly memorable for a bit, even if they might not have shone as brightly as District 1 and District 2.

District 11's costume did not have any explicitly special effects, although their outfits did seem to shimmer under the light of the moon and the Capitol, bringing the symbolism of earth, water, and light into being, reminding the Capitol that those were requisites of making plants grow.

District 12, however, was an upset this year. Those simple black costumes the tributes were clad in suddenly burst into exotic (albeit fake) flames halfway through the parade, which was a trick one of the stylists had pulled off, to great success.

Clove actually glanced behind her out of the corner of her eye to see why the crowds had suddenly erupted into cheers behind them.

"They're on fire," she muttered to Cato as they began to form a semicircle around the President's balcony, "Here's for hoping the flames are real."

They knew that these flames weren't real, but suddenly they felt like they had just gotten challenged. There would be plenty of time to address that issue tomorrow at training though. Right now, it was time to focus on President Coriolanus Snow, who appeared up on his balcony that the tribute chariots now surrounded. His words were simple but powerful.

"Welcome to the 74th Annual Hunger Games." He announced in his usual calm but commanding tone. "And may the odds be ever in your favor."

* * *

**AFTERTHOUGHTS:**

_1-All of these tributes are familiar faces, but that doesn't meant they're the same as we remember them. Who strikes your fancy the most so far?_  
_2-Zakuya and Misaha are in fact the same stylists that dressed up the District 2 pair in "The 92nd Annual Hunger Games". Should I continue to make little subtle references to my other fanfics like this, or no?_  
_3-Cato, Clove, Thresh, and Rue have now formally crossed paths. Any thoughts on the relationship between these two tribute pairs?_


	4. Chapter 4: The Fearless Tributes

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _And here we see some of the post-parade scenes before the training actually starts. The story starts to put more of a focus on Cato and Clove from here, (and there is a little Clove/Cato near the end), although we do get to see some of the others still. Even without Katniss present, Clove still manages to find someone that irks her-two someones that irk her. Time will well what becomes of these feelings though. Happy Reading!_

**CHAPTER 4: The Fearless Tributes**

Shortly after the president's short words, the chariots turned and made their way back to the tribute tower. Even the quite District 12 pair seemed a bit more confident, and they elicited stares from some of the others as they strode past in their still flaming outfits. Cato and Clove both glanced after them, only to receive a fixated gaze from little Primrose, which was followed up by a calm stare from Peeta Mellark. Clove and Cato kept their expressions surprisingly neutral, but did exude a bit of confidence that District 12 might have been lacking.

Peeta took Prim by the hand and led her to the elevator. Marvel and Glimmer were staring after them, although their attention was diverted once they saw Cato and Clove. The two pairs of tributes gazed at each other for a moment before the District 2 pair received a small compliment from Glimmer and Marvel, who went to the elevators to head up to their floor.

Cato and Clove aimed to do the same thing, but that silent District 11 pair passed them by, with little Rue Keniye and the much larger Thresh Dakara not breaking that eye contact.

Clove couldn't take it anymore. What was wrong with them, and more importantly, why had they not said a single thing the entire time being here? (at least as far as Clove and Cato knew).

"Say something!" she barked, though she was not upset. Instead of saying anything, they just folded their arms at the District 2 pair as if challenging them.

"Can you even talk at all, or did your tongues get cut out?" she continued. Rue responded by opening her mouth and flashing her tongue to show that it was there. A split-second later, Thresh had joined her, though he closed his mouth again before Rue did.

"We're gonna gut you at the cornucopia if you don't say something," Cato threatened, but all it did was cause Rue to blink a few times and raise her eyebrows.

Clove shook her head, and Cato led her to the elevators, where they reached the 2nd floor in a few seconds. Here, they were greeted by Athena, who squealed with excitement over how appealing her tributes this year had looked in that parade. Clove and Cato both basked in this caressing of their egos for a moment before they ate a quick dinner, changed into something more appropriate for the evening, and then rewatched some of the footage of the parade.

Clove's focus was almost entirely on that District 11 pair. They were almost infuriatingly stoic. She could understand how that large young man could be strong and stone-faced, but the girl seemed so small and innocent; almost a bit chipper, even; and yet she was just as unyielding and calm about it all as he was.

"Having fun?" a voice piped up. Clove and Cato glanced over to their left and saw Enobaria approaching them, dressed in calf-length pants and a tanktop. Her feet were bare.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Cato retorted, as he noticed a similarly dressed Elroy appear behind Enobaria.

"Well," Enobaria opened her mouth for a moment, revealing a set of pointed, filed-down teeth, "Death happens, as we like to say. When the Hunger Games are involved, death happens more."  
"What makes you think my death will happen here?" Cato raised an eyebrow.

"It's either you or Clove," Elroy quipped, "speaking of…"

Clove was still fixated on the television screen, the reruns of the chariot parade paused at a close-up shot of Thresh and Rue.

"What makes them tick," she muttered under her breath, which, since everyone had instantly grown quiet, was easily heard. She glanced at them, and then repeated herself. Clove was not exactly shy.

"These two," she glanced at Enobaria in particular, "District 11. Do you know anything about them?"

"Why?" the mentor tilted her head, "afraid of some healthy competition?"

"Marvel and Glimmer are a bit too airheaded." Clove noted aloud, "These two are the only ones I can't make heads or tails of. They haven't said a damn thing at all, as far as anyone knows."

"District 11 should not be confused with the rest of their outlying brethren," Elroy warned, "they've had a good haul of victors before… ever since that Girl on Fire back in the 44th Hunger Games, anyways."

"Show her to me," Clove demanded, "there are obviously a story behind that name, and a story behind District 11 with that kind of title."

Elroy and Enobaria flipped backwards through 30 years of Hunger Games recaps. All of it was available for any citizen of Panem to watch, after all—the games themselves, the chariot parades, the victory tours, and the interviews—both from the tributes before the games, and by the victors afterwards.

Seeing the girl during her victor's interview explained part of where her nickname had come from. She was clad in a fiery red gown adorned with red and orange rhinestones and comprised of shimmering fabric that changed hues with the movement of her sleeves or legs. Clove had half expected the fire effect from Peeta and Primrose's outfits to be present here, but there was no such thing.

Seeing the girl speak (to a much younger Caesar Flickerman) though, answered Clove's question about the name in full. This "Sagittaria Svenja" was warm and friendly; but also hot and passionate—a warm but fiery personality. She spoke with such conviction… and with such fondness of her district. Clove couldn't help but respect that, even if she knew that conditions in District 11 were a joke at best.

It was her remarks about the people though, that had her attention.

"_We've basically seen it all;"_ the girl explained, answering a question from Caesar about her home district, _"we're used to working hard, eating little, and facing adversity head-on. So… we do just that; cover our emotions and face our enemies head-on, never relenting and never wavering. District 11; District 11; who gives us fruits, gives us strength!"_

Clove shut the TV off after that—this was all she had needed to see.

"They're not all like that, are they?" she turned to them.

"I think they did about average my year," Enobaria shrugged, seeming unconcerned.

"A kid from '11 won the games the year after me," Elroy chipped in. "maybe to make up for doing poorly during my year or something. I don't exactly try to remember."  
"Why are you so fixated on them?" Cato tilted his head, "it's a big slow dumb guy and a twerp that I could probably literally rip in two."

"Hey, I'm not saying we're not gonna be able to kick 'em in the teeth," Clove countered, "just that they're hiding something, and I want to know what."

Clove took this personally because she felt like it was an attack on her ego. Her pride was hurt from these two fearless tributes who were not reacting to any of their intimidation efforts.

"Don't get so worked up about it," Cato reassured her, stroking both the girl's ego and her hair, which, oddly, calmed Clove down a bit. She had been getting worked up over this.

"Cato, I swear if they score higher than us…" she trailed off.

"Clove, relax." Cato reassured her, still running his hand through her hair, "they were just lucky they got picked. We were chosen from the best of the best. We'll show them who's boss in the training center tomorrow." It was not that Cato was trying to solely comfort Clove; this was also helping his own ego. He honestly did not see why Clove was so worked up about those two though—he personally thought that they'd just be more bloodbath fodder. There had been no demonstrations of their skills so far, and courage only got a tribute so far. Besides… he was the best, and even Clove would have to die for him to be able to prove that point. It would be said, but that was just the name of the game.

"I need a moment," Clove sighed, sounding suddenly very depressed. She got up and headed out to the balcony. Cato looked equally confused, for this seemed very out of character for her—where had the arrogant, violent, powerful girl he met at the District 2 stage gone?

He did not take long to find out. A few minutes later, Clove stepped back inside, her knuckles dripping with blood. She looked furious, but apart from her hands, seemed unhurt. Had she just punched the walls or something?

Cato was this close to opening his mouth to ask her what happened, but she beat him to it.

"Long story," she was heading for her room, "I'll tell you tomorrow or something."

Cato shrugged. Perhaps it was best not to get involved, so he put a positive spin on it, as best he could and in one of the only ways he knew how.

"See ya in the training center tomorrow," he called out, smirking as he decided to get ready for bed as well. "Let's remind Panem who the best tributes this year are."  
While Clove only nodded, it did bring a smile to her face. She disappeared into her room and fell asleep rather quickly, excited for what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

**AFTERTHOUGHTS:**

_1-I'm not necessarily huge on 'shipping', but what are your thoughts on the relationship (romantic or otherwise), between Clove and Cato, and would you like to see more of it or less? (or the same amount as there currently is)_  
_2-Clove has already started developing a fixated obsession with that District 11 pair. Does it feel out of character, or is she justified in her paranoia against what she sees as a threat to her chance of victory, as well as her ego?_  
_3-I've always felt that while Clove is very clever, strong, and intelligent, that she is very unstable on a mental level. Am I wrong in making this assumption, or does the character still feel like the one we're familiar with?_


	5. Chapter 5: Cunning Mindgames

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** _Lo and behold, this fic is not abandoned... it was simply hibernating. Whatever the case, here is another chapter after over a month of no updates. I cannot say if I will get back into the habit of regularly updating or not,but whatever the case, here's the 5th chapter. Here we see the tributes in their training atmosphere, and many of them are fairly clever. Don't even count little Primrose out just yet... _  
_Happy Reading!_

**CHAPTER 5: Cunning Mindgames**

Clove had forgotten about (or rather, had stopped worrying about) Thresh and Rue for the time being, and instead became more focused on the purpose of today—training. This was where she and Cato would get to show off their skills and show those little shits who was going to control the arena.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, they were some of the first ones down there, although within an hour, most of the other tributes were also present. Immediately, Clove spotted Rue, and glared daggers at the smaller girl, who once again simply crossed her arms and glared back almost defiantly, not even blinking. Okay, so perhaps she was not quite over this kid and her partner, the latter of which pointed two fingers at his eyes and then turned them to point at Clove's. Clove cocked her head back towards Rue, who simply raised her eyebrows and flicked her head up as if to reaffirm she was not scared of the career girl.

Either way, Cato and Clove shrugged and headed off to start showing off their skills. Cato went for the swords, and Clove went for the nearby throwing knives, and managed to shrug off the thoughts of Thresh and Rue in that regard.

Marvel and Glimmer appeared to specialize in ranged weaponry, with the boy throwing spears deftly at his targets, and the girl nocking arrows and doing a fairly good job as well. They did not appear to be as good of fighters as Clove and Cato, but the District 2 pair seemed unconcerned by that. They'd still form the usual career pack.

That boy Peeta was staying awfully close to his district partner, or so Clove initially observed. It made sense, given that he was a fairly strapping young man while Primrose was a much smaller and more defenseless looking thing. It was almost an ironic contrast to the other 12-year-old—that District 11 girl. She was a fighter, and it was showing. She had fashioned herself a slingshot, and she had some wicked accuracy with her projectiles.

Knowing that Prim would have no real chance using conventional weapons, she and Peeta made their way to the mostly deserted survival stations, working on tricks like camouflage and trap building. While Peeta's talents with cake decorating had him painting his arm with such precision that it literally matched the imitated surroundings, Prim found herself drawn to a large screen, where she encountered a small, red-haired tribute with a number 5 on her shoulders. For a moment, the younger girl glanced at the redhead and watched what she was doing. The screens appeared to be a sort of memory game, crossed with identifying plants. Perhaps Prim's training as an herbalist would come in handy after all. Before anything else happened though, Prim asked the girl's name out of curiosity.

"Finch;" the girl responded almost as if the inquiry had been a trigger, "Now don't distract me unless you want to lose to me."

And so, Prim remained quiet, watching Finch's skills as her hands and fingers darted across the screen and played the game. A shadow that appeared from behind the diminutive District 12 girl turned out to belong to Peeta, who was also watching that small girl.

"Show her who's boss," he muttered in Prim's ear, "I've seen you back in the Seam. This is your game."

Hesitantly, Prim glanced up at Peeta, who gave an encouraging smile, and then back at the red-haired girl, who had just chuckled triumphantly as she beat her old score. When Prim sat down next to her, she was on the receiving end of a glare from District 5.

"you don't seriously expect to win, do you?" the redhead sneered.

"Let's find out," Prim's face was almost comically stoic. A moment later, the matching game was on, and while Finch was fast, Primrose was faster, and was metaphorically running circles around the older girl like an absolute pro.

After such an agonizing defeat, Finch simply scowled. "You did well," she snarked, "Let's hope that translates well into the arena." And with that, she got up and disappeared into another corner of the training hall. Not more than 12 seconds after this happened, there was a commotion. Prim and Peeta spun around and saw that gigantic District 2 boy, Cato, shouting threateningly at a boy with a 6 on his shoulders. They cautiously approached the scene but kept their distance, not wanting to get on the bad side of an angry career tribute this early in the games.

Cato was rambling about how the boy had stolen his knife, which, in the training center, wasn't a big deal, but his pride was injured, and he was about to take it out on this boy. Some of the Capitol supervisors were hovering nearby in case they needed to get involved. Now and again a fight would break out between tributes, and it was up to these folks to stop it from escalating. The fighting and bloodshed was supposed to be for the arena only.

Prim tapped Peeta on the shoulder a moment later, pointing upward, where, surrounded by netting and in the rafters, was that small girl from District 11, holding a large knife. Upon making eye contact with the District 12 pair, she put a finger to her lips, then she smirked and winked.

Primrose cracked a smile, watching Rue's antics. She didn't stop there though. Instead of trying to slip the knife somewhere conspicuous, she kept a coil of rope around her left arm as she skillfully maneuvered the nets in the ceiling, before targeting a certain tribute, and dropping down, dangling upside-down with her hands and legs attached to this rope, slipping the sheathed knife into the unsuspecting girl's pocket before springing back up into the rafters once again.

Clove did not notice the knife in her back pocket till she moved and felt it against her backside. She brandished it, unaware of what it was for a split-second. Luckily, Cato noticed and he suddenly stopped trying to attack that District 6 boy.

"That was a clever trick," he chuckled, snatching the knife away from his slightly confused partner, who grabbed his shirt and pulled him a few feet away.

"No, no it wasn't," she shook her head, "someone in this room slipped it to me. You saw how far I was from you when your knife disappeared."

Glancing upwards, all they saw was an empty ceiling lined with nets. Across the room was the District 12 pair, who had been watching the spectacle with amused interest. They stood there with their arms crossed, and so while Cato and Clove might have cast them a glare, they knew that they were not the culprits. They were much too far away.

For Clove, it was a process of elimination, and she cornered the tribute in question, actually grabbing Rue's shoulders and pinning her against a wall.

"I know what you did with that knife," she threatened, "Care to 'fess up?"

Rue simply shrugged and rolled her eyes, her lips remaining closed.

It set Clove off much more than it really should have. "I'm going to gut you," she sneered, "in the bloodbath—slowly and painfully." She pushed Rue back against the wall as she stepped back, not wanting any of the supervisors or trainers breathing down her neck, especially not after they just got done doing the same to Cato. Rue stood rooted to the spot where Clove had left her until the knife-thrower joined Marvel, Glimmer, and Cato once again. Shortly after her departure, Thresh stepped up to her, and smirked. Rue's face broke into a grin, and she bumped her fits against Thresh's, before the two of them also went back to training for a while.

Soon enough, lunchtime came, which was also a nice time for the tributes to mingle and start to form alliances after having seen each other's performances a bit so far. Needless to say, nothing was set in stone when there were still 5 more days of training and then the private sessions and interviews, but the seeds of allegiance had been planted.

For the most part, the tributes sat based on District with the exception of Districts 1 and 2. Finch from District 5 passed Prim an angry glare, although was almost immediately shut down when Rue glared at her back as if trying to challenge her. Peeta and Prim were unable to get a word out of either one of them, but they did sit fairly close, which alarmed Clove in particular.

"They're up to something," she pointed, shoving a large slab of meat into her mouth before jabbing her fork towards the District 11 and District 12 tributes.

"I'm not too worried about '12," Marvel shrugged, "you can only paint yourself or identify plants for so long before it comes to bite you in the arse."

"District 11 is different this year," Cato warned, "they're quiet and they're cunning. They need to die first, and die soon."

"I don't think it'll be that easy," Clove shook her head, "they're not just cunning, Cato. They're playing mind games with us—and after the incident with the knife, I think they're onto us. We need to watch them closer. If we don't go after them first… they'll come after us."

* * *

**AFTERTHOUGHTS:**

_1-Needless to say, Thresh and Rue are totally up to something. What do you think of their behavior so far, and do you have any thoughts on what they might be planning?_  
_2-There are multiple days of training that I could write. Are there any tributes you want to see more of, or less of?_  
_3-Clove's instability isn't getting any better. Should I delve into more detail about what's going through her mind, or no?  
4-With so many days of training, it opens up ample opportunities for various tributes to interact with each other. Are there any tributes that you would like to see interact with any other particular tributes? and if so, which ones?_


	6. Chapter 6: Calm and Anger

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _I might start picking this up again, for it is certainly not dead. I was just on a block of sorts, especially while I also struggled with "The 92nd Annual Hunger Games" and "The 93rd Annual Hunger Games". Whatever the case, here is chapter 6. The primary focus is once again on District 2, although we also get to see a lot of District 12, and lo and behold, District 11 finally speaks. The ending kind of hints at what the next chapter might be a lot about._  
_Happy Reading!_

**CHAPTER 6: Calm and Anger**

The days of training passed quickly, and Clove kept her eyes on Rue almost incessantly. To make matters worse, Rue didn't seem fazed by it. It was clear that Thresh was one of her allies, and even that District 12 pair were eyeing her with interest.

Apparently Rue was not oblivious to Clove's looming presence though, because during day 4, she ended up doing something that nearly triggered something in the slightly unstable career girl. Their eyes met, and as Clove's eyes narrowed, they widened for a split-second. Rue had brought two of her fingers up to her eyes, pointing at them before turning and pointing them at Clove's eyes.

Clove lunged, and was only prevented by Cato and then Marvel, who had to restrain her for a moment.

"Clove, you're walking right into her trap," Marvel warned,

"He's right," Cato agreed, "you're doing exactly what she wants you to do. Save it for the arena and then gut her in a glorious display in the bloodbath. I can already think of a few people I want to do that to…" he glanced around the training center, where the tributes were mostly minding their own business. Clove took a deep breath before sighing and going back to throwing her knives with vicious aggression, which seemed to further augment her skills. She hit the dead center of every target, and then threw knives that hit the knives already embedded in the target. She was very good at what she did.

However, she was not the only one skilled at what she was doing. Rue so far had managed to throw the careers off with her antics, and the fact that her partner was the largest tribute in the games this year didn't help. Rue began wandering towards where Peeta and Primrose were, and Clove intended to follow them this time. She was only stopped by Thresh who moved into her way.

"Touch her and I break you." He warned. Clove's eyes actually shot open from surprise, because these were the first words she had heard from the boy. However, she was not one to cower from a threat.

"Is that a challenge?" she sneered, leaning her head back a little to glare at Thresh right in the eyes.

"It's a warning." Thresh responded bluntly, "Mind your business, '2."

Clove twisted her expression into a rather disgusted look as Thresh walked away. Marvel and Glimmer exchanged glances, and Cato watched his partner without a word. He was not one to admit it, but he liked her more than the others. She was the only one that he felt was worthy to face him in combat and hope to win.

On the other hand, Rue wasn't left alone either, and soon found herself in front of District 12's Peeta Mellark. However, instead of hostilities, he seemed to want to reaffirm an old question he had.

"I know we've talked about this before," he began, "but I don't feel like I got a solid answer. Did we want to have each other's backs in the arena? You, me, Prim here, and maybe even Thresh if he's up to it;" Peeta definitely did the talking for District 12.

Rue glanced around, and noting that Clove was occupied, nodded.

"I think we can make a deal," she nodded, "just don't go saying too much. I don't want her hearing me talk." She pointed her thumb over her shoulder at Clove and (by extension) Cato.

"I've gotta admit… I'm curious about that too." Peeta confessed.

"Have you seen her reactions?" Rue's eyes lit up. "it's driving her *insane*." Clearly Rue was knowingly exploiting this, and hoped to do so in the games.

"Well, that's… something." Peeta was not sure whether to admire the girl's audacity or fear for her bravado. "Good luck."  
Rue simply smiled and nodded. "Gotch'er back." She reassured the boy before heading over to his much quieter partner. Without saying anything, she simply watched the lighter-skinned girl go about her work, before nodding admirably.

"I like you." Rue admitted, eliciting Prim's attention.

"Really? What do you like about me?" Prim tilted her head curiously.

"you practice what you're good at and don't let anyone else intimidate you," Rue explained, "We should definitely be allies."  
It was slightly sketchy for Prim to want to trust anyone besides Peeta, although she had heard the conversation the two had had, and Rue's offer seemed genuine enough. The odds of her backstabbing them seemed fairly slim.

"What about Thresh?" Clearly Thresh and Rue were decent friends, and Primrose wanted to know how that translated in a District 11-12 relationship.

"He seems okay with it," Rue shrugged, "I'll ask him again. We've got one more day of training to finalize this sort of thing anyways…"  
She trailed off, and Prim immediately noticed why. Clove was coming their way again, and so with a silent nod, Rue stood up and migrated towards a different station, acting as if she was not aware of Clove, who did in fact divert her course to the smaller girl. Primrose assessed the situation before tapping Peeta's shoulder to see what he made of it.

"She'll be a risky ally," he agreed, "because clearly that girl has it out for her." he motioned towards Clove. "That also means I don't think she'll stop at trying to only kill Rue." A moment later, his words were practically proven then and there. Clove shouted death threats at Rue for some reason, and had to be restrained, this time by Peacekeepers, who separated them.

"So what was that about?" Peeta couldn't help but ask Rue after the incident simmered down.

"She wanted me to join the careers," Rue shrugged, "I didn't say a word to her, and she flipped out."

Clove would definitely be trouble, and both District 12 tributes were starting to understand that. However, they also did not overlook her partner Cato, who had glared at them after the Chariot Parade, perhaps feeling like he had been shown up. It was not like that had been Peeta's fault—he and Prim had simply done as their stylists had instructed.

Prim and Peeta did go to Haymitch that night, however, and ask him about the alliance with Thresh and Rue that they had been forming.

"It never hurts to have allies that you know aren't gonna stab you in the back," Haymitch took a shot from a small flask that was presumably filled with liquor, "All you need to do is survive till the end."  
"That's easier said than done though," Peeta reminded him.

"Just make sure to watch your backs," Haymitch warned, "District 11 might seem friendly enough now, but you know as well as anyone that that's going to have to come to an end if you want to crawl out of here alive."  
"I want Prim to come out of this alive," Peeta asserted.

"The same concept applies though," Haymitch indicated, "Luckily for you… by the way you're putting it to me, it seems that District 2 has its sights on District 11 instead of you, so you can take a breath. In other news, you two are gaining in popularity among the Capitol crowds, and so you might be able to get a few sponsors once you're in the games. I think I've finally gotten me a pair of tributes that'll get past the bloodbath."

10 floors below them though, Clove was fuming, and actually slammed her fist so hard into one of the walls that she put a hole into it, causing Athena to gasp. Clove brushed her off before she could say anything, however, and stamped out onto the balcony, seething with fury.

Cato's anger was much more passive, but he had given Thresh and Rue some nasty looks that he had originally only given Prim and Peeta after the chariot parade.

"I want to tear open that girl's ribcage and gut her," Clove snarled, leaning against the balcony railing, gazing out at the brilliantly lit nighttime Capitol skyline.

"Whoa," Cato held his hands up, "Keep your shirt on here, Clove."

While he had originally just said that in a verbal attempt to calm her down, Clove defiantly stripped herself entirely from the waist up (though left the rest on), although her position only gave Cato a view of her athletically toned back.

"Do you really want me to erupt into a huge-ass hissy-fit about this again, or are you here fixin' to get into the mood to crush things with your bare hands too?"

"I already plan to crush things with my bare hands," Cato asserted.

"'11 girl is mine," Clove snapped, still not even turning her head. "You can have District 12."

There was a split-second pause as if Cato was contemplating this "deal", before he grunted his nod of approval. However, after a moment, there was silence between the two careers.

"Cato, I've got a question for you," Clove spoke up a moment later, not caring about her half-dressed state, "actually, I've got more than just a question."  
"Mm," Cato grunted as if to show he was listening, though he sat down and got comfortable.

"I just need to get some things off my chest," Clove shook her head before sitting in front of Cato and looking him in the eyes. "Can you hear me out?"  
"Sure," Cato grunted, "Let's talk."

* * *

**AFTERTHOUGHTS:**

_1-Despite Clove's attire in the ending scene, it is not actually hinting at anything (suggestive or otherwise). However, Cato and Clove's relationship exists in one way or another. Any preferences on how it should play out?_  
_2-District 12 and District 11 have officially allied with each other. Do you think Peeta made the right decision in this regard?_  
_3-Clove is on the verge of opening up to Cato to confess just what's been on her mind over the last week or so. Are you hoping to find out, or would you rather it remain a mystery?__4- While we did get our District 12, District 11, and District 2 fixes, there are other districts that I could give some 'screen-time' to. Any recommendations, or should I keep the focus on 12/11/2 (or any combination of the above)?_


End file.
